chains of the heart

     The stallions new assignment

              Strong hoofs head still throbbed from the untreated migraine that remained untreated since yesterday morning not helped from the fierce head but he had given one bad mannered unicorn the day before. The sun was almost at its highest point in the sky outside the one bared window in the confinement barracks, meaning it would soon be noon, before the guards had brought him his breakfast one had told him that he would be speaking with none other than shining armor himself.

Strong hoof was taken back by this news. Had his crime been that severe to garner the attention of the captain of the royal guard? Had beating one raciest unicorn been such a bad offense? Then it hit him, "Of course, the captains a unicorn to, obviously he's going to get retribution against an insolent earth pony." But all of this was irrelevant now, he was just going to half to see where this went, if he was to be given fifty lashes or thrown out of the royal guard then their was nothing he could do. "Corporal Strong hoof!" bellowed a golden armor clad guard pony through the iron bars of the one door. "It is time, the captain will see you now." Time to face the music Strong hoof thought to himself as the guard pony opened the squeaky iron door and Strong hoof stepped outside for the first time in the last twenty-four hours the sun shining warmly on his face. The guard pointed the end of a silver spear at his back and Strong hoof noticed for the first time who the guard was.

                     His armor had obstructed strong hoof from noticing his face but now their was no bought, it wasn't his shinny black coat or the horn that emerged from the top of his helmet no, what gave it away was the white bandage dotted with red that was taped over the spot where his nose was.

                         Strong hoof fought hard to keep from laughing out loud at both the irony and the unicorns appearance. "Hows the nose?" Strong hoof asked in an amused tone. The guard growled in anger contemplating for a moment spearing the insolent earth pony through the throat and telling the other guards that he tried to run. But their was no need, this little dirt hoof would get what was coming to him by captain shining armor. Yes death was to good for this little worm, the black unicorn thought to himself. "March!" he bellowed as Strong hoof began to trudge in the direction of canterlot castle proper a little worried about what his fate was, waiting just inside the jewel of equestria.

                        Opening the drawer of his oak wood desk and peering inside at the gold ring incrusted with three diamonds within, a ring that had taken him four whole hours to decide on finally, at the growing impatience of the pony that owned the jewelry store. He wondered if it was to much, or maybe it was to little, what if she didn't like it? What if she said no? When should he finally pop the big question? All these things swirled inside shining armors head as he closed the drawer for the twenty-fifth time today. He returned to the stack of orders on his desk with a heavy sigh while flipping back his main of blue hair from his eyes. "When am I supposed to find the time to ask her anyway?" He mumbled to himself using his magic to pick up the next scroll on his desk going over it and stamping it with an inked hoof. Not only was he busy with his own work but now he had to contend with VIP's visiting canterlot and one of them needing somepony to watch them like a hawk, a job that was seaming to be to difficult for even his best guard ponies, and on top of everything one of his own corporals was now in trouble for fighting one of his lieutenants apparently breaking his nose yesterday in the chow hall. Now shining armor had to come up with someway of punishing one of his own guards and finding a pony capable of keeping track of one of equestrias greatest escape artistes. Just then a cloud parted and a bolt of lightning struck shining armor, Of course! He thought kill two cockatrice with one stone, it was perfect. "Knock knock" the abrupt sound brought shining armor out of his epiphany and back to his office it was time to speak with corporal Strong hoof, shining armor cleared his besk and sat behind it with the poise of a commanding officer.

                     "Enter!" Shouted the voice of captain shining armor from behind the massive wooden double doors that no doubt lead to the captains office. Before Strong hoof could open the door the black unicorn snickered behind him, "good luck" he sneered. Strong hoof smiled to himself, "watch the door" he uttered before he flung the door open at full speed slamming the heavy wood into the unicorns nose cracking it once moor. Strong hoof quickly steeped inside the office closing the door behind him before the captain could see the stallion on the other side wallowing in pain on the palace floor.

                         The captains office was modestly decorated, the floor was dressed in a dark red carpet, a full wall book shelf with manny old military manuals sat to his left, a long couch laid to his right that matched the carpet above which on the wall hung two medium sized wood framed pictures. The first picture was of the captain and a purple unicorn with a pink streak through her main, judging from the appearance of the photo Strong hoof assumed the mare must have been a family member or his mare friend. The other picture depicted a pink alicorn he instantly recognized as princess mi amore cadenza. This slightly puzzled Strong hoof as their were no photos of princess celestia to accompany it but he thought it nothing moor than the captain must have been one of the princesses many "fans".

                     Standing a ponies length from the captains oak wood desk Strong hoof brought his hoofs together causing them to click before raising his right hoof up in a salute. "Corporal Strong hoof reporting sir!" he proclaimed keeping in the regulation when addressing an officer. "At ease corporal" the white unicorn stated leaning forward on his desk. "You know why your hear corporal and Im not one to beat around the bush so ill get right to the point"

shining armor explained with heavy authority in his voice.

                     "This is the sixth time you have been hemmed up for getting involved in an altercation, the only difference is that this time you threw the first hoof. By all right I could order sixty lashes and have you thrown not only out of the royal guard but from canterlot completely." Anger grew in shining armors voice without him razing it above more than a talking volume, a skill he had developed over years of serving in the guard. "But I also have read that in every instance their was some sort of justifiable reason for your actions, I particularly liked the one where you pummeled a considerably "well built" Pegasus for allegedly taking a candy apple from a filly at last years summer sun celebration." Shining armors voice took on an amused tone as he recited the last incident. "It was only because the filly wouldn't stop crying sir, I coulden't stand the noise sir." Strong hoof stated flatly not wanting the captain to get the wrong idea.

                    "I see" shining armor said gazing slightly to Strong hoofs flank taking note of the chains that formed an X their. The captain of the royal guard rose from his desk strolling to the other side and up to the picture of himself and the purple mare that hung on his wall. "Thats an interesting cutie mark you have corporal, would you like to hear how I got mine?" Shining armor asked the earth pony, who still stood in front of his desk not yet ordered to move, but glancing for a moment at the white unicorns own cutie mark of a shield with a purple sparkle on it. "Sir?" he asked somewhat confused by the captains question.

                     "One day my little sister came home in tears because some bullies were harassing her, you see she has always been gifted in magic and that garnished her contempt from the other fillies in her class." Strong hoof gazed downward in silence as the story went on. "So one day I went to her school and... well lets just say that they didn't bother her from then on, this shield means i was destined to protect. Not just my little sister but all those who need protection. So now, let me ask you Strong hoof, what do those chains represent? What is your destiny? Hmmm corporal?"

                       Still gazing downward at the red carpet Strong hoof now turned to face his commanding officer who was now facing him as well. "That i am a slave" is what Strong hoof wanted to tell the unicorn in front of him but instead he simply stated, "I don't know sir I wasn't thinking clearly when it appeared, i don't even fully remember when it appeared." Shining armor rubbed his chin with a hoof contemplating the earth ponies answer. "Well in any case Iv'e thought about what to do about your punishment." Shining armor moved now to the left side of his desk retrieving a folder with an aura of magic and placing it on the desk in front of him.

                       "Are you familiar with Lord petal corporal?" Shining armor asked a small grin forming on his muzzle as he asked. "I believe he's a high status member of the royal court if im not mistaken sir." Strong hoof explained not sure where this was going or what it was going to have to do with him. "His daughter rose petal owns the largest landscaping company in all of equestria mostly dealing in flowers and trees, canterlot has a big contract with her and as of two days ago she is now visiting canterlot to oversee the re planting of a new garden on the castle grounds. Shining armor explained and Strong hoof began to get a good idea of what his "punishment" was going to entail.

                       "Am i to understand that im going to be a body guard for miss rose petal sir?" Strong hoof asked feeling apprehensive toward the prospect of becoming a lowly body guard for some rich spoiled mare while she makes sure her trust fund doesn't run dry. Shining armor looked confused for a moment before blurting out a few chuckles signifying that Strong hoof was mistaken in his assumption. "Oh no corporal, i already have her guard detail assigned. You see in the past madam petal would come to canterlot alone but this time she has brought her daughter, Lilly petal, she is your new assignment corporal."

Strong hoof was in shock at what he had just heard, as if being a body guard wouldn't have been bad enough but now he was to become a foul sitter?!

                       Strong hoof cleared his throat, his commanding officer staring at him with a sort of anticipation on his features at Strong hoofs response. "Sir surly theirs somepony more qualified to sit for some filly than myself." "Filly?" shining armor asked a bit puzzled at Strong hoofs view of his new assignment. "Don't be silly corporal, no offense but you're a bit to "rough" to sit for a filly, why Lilly is only two years younger than yourself, and not to hard on the eyes if you know what I mean." That doesn't count for much, Strong hoof thought to himself. He himself was only twenty-one and hadn't even had his first mug of hard cider yet. "Sir with all due respect, I am a member of the royal guard, you cant expect me to lower myself to following around some spoiled mare while she gushes over stallions and shops for dresses can you?" Shining armor took on a stern look now and moved to stand directly in front of Strong hoof.

                        "No corporal, I expect you to follow my orders." shining armor stated harshly to the earth pony that stood before him. "You forget your place corporal iv given you this assignment as a second chance, or i could order sixty lashings and recommend you for exile, you are in no condition to complain about your punishment do I make myself clear corporal?" Strong hoof slapped on his poker face, he didn't fear pain but exile was a dishonor he couldn't bear, not added to the large pill of his past failures. "Yes sir!" He proclaimed resigning himself to his now inescapable fate. Shining armors expression became more relaxed even resuming the smile he had before. "Thats more like it. But remember corporal it is not lightly that I give you this assignment." Shining armor explained returning to the file he had pulled out earlier and flipping through the various reports that made up its body. "Since lady petal and lilly arrived in canterlot none of the other guards assigned to her have been able to keep her under hoof for more than an hour or two at best. And this creates a major breach in our security. If lilly were to get abducted lord petal would have to abandon his duties to the royal court to aide in the search for his missing grand daughter, the princess would half to get involved and canterlot or even all of equestria would suffer the repercussions. In short corporal, don't lose her."

                   Keeping to his poker face Strong hoof now stood up straight ready for the details of his new assignment. "When am I to start sir?" Strong hoof asked wanting now to just get this whole thing over with. "Immediately corporal, in fact lilly is waiting in the study just down the hall. Walk with me and ill introduce you two." Shining armor explained in a cheery tone. "Oh and one more thing corporal, I hope that this assignment helps you find out what the true meaning of that interesting cutie mark of yours is." Strong hoof looked with searching grey eyes at his commanding officer before following him out of the office and down the hall to meet his new charge.

                  The two stallions made there way down the hall and up to the door where inside Strong hoofs new assignment waited. Shining armor opened the door and both of them entered the brightly lit room. As Strong hoof looked around the room what he saw next made his heart drop down to the pit of his stomach and for a moment he felt like he couldn't breath. Before him perched on her back hoofs trying to read the title of a book placed on a shelf just out of reach stood an all white mare with a sparkling white horn on the top of her head her long flowing well groomed mane shined like silver as it cascaded down her back, her tail being of the same length and color, and on her flank the image of a white lilly with one petal broken off and away from the main flower was her cutie mark.

                   The white mare came down to her hoofs and turned around to see who had entered. She first noticed shining armor but soon rested her gaze on Strong hoof. Her expression soon went from one of neutrality to one of surprise and excitement, a big smile spreading on her young features and her eyes lit up like a little filly seeing a new toy. "Afternoon lilly I have somepony hear id like you to meet." Lilly darted over to the two stallions stoping a ponies length away from where Strong hoof stood with a look of annoyance on his muzzle.

The mare reared her head back and spat a wad of saliva onto the floor to her right immediately after looking to Strong hoof with a look of anticipation in her eyes.

                     "Um lilly what are you doing?" shining armor asked after her out of character action. Lilly looked to shining armor, a puzzled look to her now. "Isn't that some sort of earth pony custom?" the white mare asked a little confused and worried that she had done it wrong somehow. Shining armor looked to Strong hoof then back to lilly a bit perplexed. "OOOOOk, well anyways, lilly this is corporal Strong hoof, he is going to be your escort for the remainder of the time you will be staying hear in canterlot." Lilly's eyes lit up anew with excitement to the news that her new escort was now a young stallion. "All right I knew that id see you again after the last time i saw you!" Shining armor looked back and fourth from lilly to Strong hoof in puzzlement. "Oh you two have met already?" Lilly hopped up in the air like a little filly as she regaled shining armor of the early morning where Strong hoof had passed her during his morning gallop recounting every detail, not leaving out his sweaty appearance or his spitting custom before he galloped off. "Well then it looks like i leave my corporal in good hoofs, you will take good care of him for me right lilly?" Lilly beamed a big smile throwing up her right hoof in a salute.

                     "Sir yes sir!" She stated cheerfully before shining armor turned to leave the room stopping when he was close enough to Strong hoofs ear. "Don't let her out of your sights corporal." He whispered so lilly wouldn't hear. "And try to have fun." The latter message sounding more cheery than the first message he gave. Alone now with the grinning mare Strong hoof sighed deep realizing that it was going to be a long month. "Sooooo Strong hoof was it? If you don't mind me asking, do you have a mare friend?" lilly asked a big grin on her face matching the bright shimmer in her eyes and a touch of pink in her cheeks. A very long month.

Next chapter: Strong hoof and lilly. tell then :)